Everyday pain management ideas

The human nervous system uses several different neurotransmitters to send messages throughout the body. The names of some of these compounds are very familiar: serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, dopamine, and acetylcholine may come to mind.  One of the lesser known neurotransmitters is the compound glutamate. Fortunately or unfortunately, it appears that this lesser known compound may play a role in pain transmission for those who suffer from fibromyalgia, and perhaps other chronic pain conditions.  It is an excitatory neurotransmitter, meaning that it has a stimulant effect on the nervous system. Researchers report that higher than normal levels of glutamate can be correlated with self reports of increased pain.  For those with fibromyalgia, higher levels of glutamate in the brain (on a chronic basis) may contribute to the prolonged chronic pain experience associated with this condition. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that is used in the food industry to enhan

" If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it."                                          William Arthur Ward This is what I'd like to reflect on in today's post.  I am not talking about the latest breakthrough in pain management research. I am simply asking you to think about some of the non-drug pain management ideas we've explored on this blog in the past--such as dietary changes, weight loss, smoking cessation, and exercise.  It's not easy to find the motivation to make these changes for many of us. These lifestyle changes begin as every journey does--by taking the first step.  But what is the first step?  Is it heading for the gym tomorrow, or starting a  new diet tomorrow?  It is not. What is the first step, then, you ask? And so I will tell you. The first step requires time to think about what you really need to do.  It requires accepting the challenges you will face when you make that very fi

Did you love coloring as a child?  As it turns out, psychologists say that coloring is a good alternative to meditation.  If you have been following alternative methods of pain management for a while, you know that meditation is a great non-drug way to deal with chronic pain.  Coloring achieves many of the same goals... unlocking creative potential, releasing tension and anxiety. I have seen adult coloring books for sale at Amazon.com and also in craft stores. Some of these books are even on Amazon's best seller list!   If you want to read more about coloring as therapy, click here ! Below is a sample of the kind of image you might find in one of  these books.  You can browse the selection of these books at Amazon by clicking here . Sources:Higherperspectives.com; Amazon.com; Wikimedia

Fibromyalgia is a complex problem; if it weren't we would surely have a lot more figured out by now. That being said, one thing is for sure--one key problem is that there is a dysfunction in the usual pain inhibition mechanism. Here is an example:  If I put on an article of clothing that is uncomfortable--such as a piece of underwear that's too tight...it might feel uncomfortable at first, but as the minutes to hours go by I become less aware of the discomfort....unless I happen to have fibromyalgia.  In that case, the discomfort is the same at the end of the day as it was when I put that undergarment on in the morning.  Can you imagine? If you have fibromyalgia...yes you can imagine. A couple of studies have shed some light on our understanding of this problem.  In one study, the authors compared the pain experience of fibromyalgia to people with irritable bowel and also normal individuals.  Somehow the fibromyalgia group was the least able to inhibit the pain.  In a

Now that there is a vaccine for chicken pox, fewer children will experience that dreaded childhood disease.  But a word of caution here...whether you had chickenpox or the vaccine, you can still contract a case of shingles!  The shingles are actually a re-activation of the same virus ( herpes zoster )...it never really leaves you once it's introduced to your body.  It simply goes into a dormant state after a case of chicken pox or a chicken pox vaccination. Shingles Rash Many years later this, same virus can re-awaken and cause a very itchy, blistery rash on one side of the body. Pain can develop in the area of the rash. Flu like symptoms can occur at this time.  Over the course of several weeks, most of the problems subside.  However, some people experience problems for months to years after such an infection. If you do become afflicted by a case of shingles, here are some common sense tips from the American Academy of Dermatology: Consult a physician as soon as poss

You might or might not realize this...but many herbs and spices have medicinal properties. Some of them are useful for pain management purposes. Who knew you might have just what the doctor ordered right in your kitchen cabinet? These are good to know when you don't feel good and need something in a pinch, or if you have a "less is more" idea about medications and want to be more holistic about your health... Here are some examples: Ginger  While you might know ginger as a remedy for an upset stomach, it can also be used for joint pain!  If you suffer from arthritis or gout, try rubbing ginger powder (mixed into a little sesame seed oil) on  an achy joint. Onion   One of the most common pantry ingredients, onion can be used to treat bruises, contusions, etc.   To prepare, grind the onion into a paste and then warm it through. Apply directly to affected area       to relieve pain and inflammation. Aloe Vera      Aloe vera is great for pain relief on

**This is a repost from November 2014** Halloween is over, and if you're like most people, it's difficult to resist indulging the the sweets brought home by household trick-or treaters, or left over candy..  Most of us are fully aware that chronic intake of foods with high glycemic loads can lead to health problems, such as weight gain and type II diabetes...but did you know that elevated blood glucose levels can worsen chronic pain? Here's a short explanation of the problem:  When you ingest candy, or any other food that has a high glycemic index, there is an immediate spike in blood glucose levels.  As mentioned, these blood sugar spikes are bad news for those with diabetes; when blood sugar levels are frequently allowed to spike, complications of the disease, such as diabetic neuropathy, become more problematic.  For those with chronic pain--diabetic or not--elevated blood sugar levels cause a chain of reactions that damage body tissues and promote inflammation.  T